


When Luck Runs Out

by idontknowwhyimawake



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Hurt No Comfort, I Made Myself Cry, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Identity Reveal, Major Character Injury, except Gabriel he sucks, kind of, sucks for their family and friends though, they both die but they see each other again so that’s happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-24 16:14:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30074877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idontknowwhyimawake/pseuds/idontknowwhyimawake
Summary: A girl is never prepared for the loss of her own life. A friend is never prepared for the loss of the other. A parent is never prepared for the loss of a child. A city is never prepared for the loss of a hero. A boy is never prepared for the loss of his other half.There are five stages of grief, but sometimes we are never given the chance to get to the fifth stage.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 9
Kudos: 51





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I legit cried while writing. I kind of hate myself for this, but at the same I did actually manage to write this all in one day so I’m also kind of proud.

The attack started only a few minutes after Marinette had finally been able to get to sleep. She had been woken up by Tikki shaking her awake telling her that Aurore had been akumatized into Stormy Weather yet again.

Marinette was about ready to just go back to sleep and try to ignore the whole thing when a bolt of lighting nearly hit the bakery and she finally realized that she needed to get up and fight.

“Tikki,” Marinette said sleepily. “Spots on!”

A pink glow surrounded Marinette as she transformed into her alter ego and as her friend merged with her.

She rushed on to her balcony before swinging her yo-yo to get to the next rooftop.

Normally at this time of night the streets would be quiet, but the thunder and dangerous weather was causing people to come outside to get a good look at what was going on.

Marinette managed to get a few people back inside on her way to where Stormy Weather, and hopefully Chat Noir, would be, but most people were too stubborn to go back indoors and wanted exclusive footage of what was happening.

When Marinette finally came to a stop she was near the Eiffel Tower and Stormy Weather was at the very top of the structure.

“Hey Bugaboo,” came a cheerful voice to her right. “Lovely weather we’re having?”

Marinette gave her masked partner an amused smile. “Any idea of what caused it this time?” She said, getting straight to the point so she could go back to bed. She had a test tomorrow and she had already been up late enough studying. If she missed any more sleep it wouldn’t matter how much studying she had done, it would all be nothing.

Chat shrugged, his happy expression not wavering, but she could see the tiredness in his eyes just as she suspected he could see hers. “My guess is that she got upset about a wrong weather prediction.”

Marinette giggled. “I wouldn’t be surprised.” Another clash of thunder interrupted her and Chat jumped slightly. “Scared of storms, kitty?”

Chat gave her a mock glare. “Me? Scared of a little thunder? You wish!”

Marinette smirked. “I guess we can just ask what happened once we fix this. She’s holding an umbrella, so that must be where the akuma is!”

“Good eyesight, m’lady,” Chat said. “Do you have a plan?”

Marinette pondered his question for a second. Despite her exhaustion, she was still able to think clearly enough to come up with a plan for what they could do. “There’s a chance she hasn’t seen you yet since your dark suit can camouflage you a bit better in the night. That means we might be able to use the element of surprise. I’ll stall her and then you sneak up on her from the back and take her umbrella.”

Chat nodded, “easy peasy.”

“Be careful kitty,” Marinette called out as Chat jumped to the roof beside them, trying to stay out of any light that might make him obvious. 

Marinette sighed. Chat could break the umbrella with ease, all she had to do was distract Stormy Weather. It was honestly a simple task. 

Now that Marinette no longer had eyesight on Chat Noir she figured it was safe to truly make herself known, not that Stormy Weather probably hadn’t seen her bright red suit already. 

Marinette leaped to the ground, landing with grace. If there had been a spotlight it would’ve been on her. Despite Stormy Weather being at the very top of the Eiffel Tower Marinette could still tell that her eyes were focused on Ladybug, and Ladybug only. It meant she had been right and Stormy Weather hadn’t hadn’t seen Chat yet. 

“Did you come to be blown away, Ladybug?” Stormy Weather screamed at the top of her lungs. 

Marinette rolled her eyes at the pun. If Chat were there he would’ve responded with a much better pun that Marinette would later pretend she hated when in reality she actually loved it, but Chat was still going through with their plan.

“Is this the best you’ve got?” Marinette yelled, pretending like the storm wasn’t that big of a deal when in truth it had probably already caused a couple buildings to go down with all the wind and lightning. “Even Mr. Pigeon could do better than this!”

“He could never cause all this destruction! Give me your miraculous and I will stop!” Stormy Weather bargained.

Marinette scoffed. “I don’t have time for this! I have a test tomorrow! The reason Chat Noir isn’t here already is because he knows that you aren’t worth our time.”

Stormy Weather snarled and raised her umbrella. “I am the one who will win! Not you! Me! I’m the winner! Me! Me! Me!”

Marinette mentally noted that she might have gotten akumatized because she lost at something, but she could tell Chat later. 

Stormy Weather began to rant about how “Ladybug would just give her the miraculous she would stop.” Marinette honestly stopped paying attention to her words and started to lean more into her tiredness.

Stormy Weather let out an angry screech and Marinette snapped out of her exhaust fueled daze, assuming Chat had finally taken the umbrella. Instead, Chat was still nowhere to be seen, probably still hiding, waiting for his moment.

Marinette finally paid attention to where exactly Stormy Weather’s rage seemed to be directed at and to her startlement it seemed to be her. The akumatized victims had been angry at her before, but Stormy Weather was looking at her with something new in her eyes.

Marinette thought she saw Stormy Weather struggling with the umbrella, almost as if she was trying to throw it away, and did a double take. Marinette had never seen an already akumatized person try to get rid of where the akuma was. She had seen them struggle with the commands, like Evillistrater, but none ever tried to give up their powers. 

Marinette looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Chat Noir so she could know she wasn’t just imagining Stormy’s sudden change of mood.

“No!” Stormy Weather screamed, and even though her anger seemed to be directed at Ladybug, Marinette’s could’ve sworn she heard a mix of fear in her voice. That’s when Marinette realized Stormy wasn’t yelling at Marinette, she was yelling at Hawkmoth. “I won’t! I can’t—”

Her posture changed and she stopped struggling with the umbrella. Every instinct in Marinette’s body told her to run, but the wind was keeping her in place. She couldn’t move. 

Her feet began to float off the ground as the wind picked up and in the corner of Marinette’s eyes she could finally see Chat Noir. 

A strong gust of wind flung Marinette backwards into the nearest building. She was barely even on her feet again before the wind once again picked her up and carried her off into the city. 

The wind made it impossible to be able to catch her breath and soon she found herself reaching for her throat, as if there were hands there that she could remove so she could begin to breathe again. 

She passed out for a second as the wind carried her, before regaining consciousness only seconds later.

The wind finally dropped her off into an alleyway and left her alone.

There was a sharp stinging sensation in her stomach but Marinette could barely bring herself to lift up her head in order to see what was causing the pain.

She could finally breathe again, though it was strangely shallow. That was good. She just had to get back up so she could join Chat and capture the akuma. Once they did that Marinette could just say “miraculous ladybug” and her pain would go away, just like it usually did.

She just had to get back up. She just needed to get back. 

The pain was fading a small bit, but none of Marinette’s strength returned to her. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Why couldn’t she get back up? She can barely even feel the pain anymore!

She didn’t even notice as her breath became more and more shallow.

Marinette finally lifted her arms up just enough to lean against the alleyways wall. 

Some of Alix’s graffiti was spray painted in the alleyway. Marinette fainting remembered Alix practicing this specific art in the art room. The teacher had given them the assignment to make a piece of art of somebody that meant something to them, so Alix painted a picture of Ladybug and Chat Noir fighting together.

Kim later planted the idea in her head that she should remake the piece of art in one of Paris’s alleyways, and Alix excitedly agreed.

Marinette frowned. Why was she thinking about Alix? Was Alix near her? Her head was pounded and an odd buzzing sensation filled her.

Why was she in an alleyway? She should be at home studying for Ms. Bustiers test. She had barely studied at all! When had it gotten so dark out? She could’ve sworn she had only left school a few minutes ago.

Marinette shut her eyes when a sharp pain seemed to jab her. What was going on? Why couldn’t she remember?

A shaking hand caused her to open her eyes. 

She squinted her eyes in order to get a good look at the face in front of her. A blonde boy with cat ears and green eyes sat in front of her looking worried.

“You okay m’lady? That was quite the tumble you took,” the boy said.

Marinette furrowed her eyebrows. What was happening? “Chat?” She said before she even realized her mouth had opened.

“Yeah bugaboo? After all this is over maybe you should skip school. Get some rest, you know?” 

School. Why did she feel like she had something important to do. That’s right! She had a test. “Need to study,” she said, her words slurring.

Chat Noir frowned at her then lowered his eyes to her stomach. She faintly noticed his breathing picking up. Did he see something she didn’t? Maybe he could help with her test. 

“Shit,” he murmured. 

Marinette gasped in pain as Chat tried to put something on her stomach. She finally looked to her stomach to see what he was seeing. To get a clue as to what was going on. She nearly vomited on sight. 

A small piece of word was sticking out of her stomach, covered in blood. How had it gotten there? Marinette racked her brain, trying to get her thoughts together. She needed to remember what had happened. What was happening.

“M’lady,” Chat said. His voice told her he wasn’t anymore calm than she was. “Please. Please just calm down. We need to get you help.”

“What’s happened?” Marinette breathed out. “Oh god. Chat, what’s happened?”

“Shit,” Chat said again. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. Your lucky charm can fix this? Right? It can fix this?”

Marinette couldn’t pay attention to what he was saying. Oh god. She was going to die. She was going to die and she didn’t even know why. “Oh god,” Marinette repeated. “Oh my god.”

“Okay,” Chat said, trying to appear calm, not that it would’ve made a difference at the moment. “Okay, we can handle this. I can take you to the hospital. They’ll know what to do. Fuck identities, Paris can’t lose you.”

Marinette’s eyes were unfocusing. “Mama,” she cried out. “Papa! Where are they? Chat? Where are they?”

Chat shook his head. “I— I don’t know. I’m sure they’re safe!”

Marinette grabbed Chat’s hand. “The bakery! You have to make sure the bakery is okay! Chat, please!” Her eyes unfocused again. “Chat? My parents!”

Chat looked down at her with wide eyes. “Marinette?”

Marinette looked back at him confused. Why was he saying her name? “Yes?” She could’ve sworn she saw a tear go down Chat’s face.

“Oh my god,” Chat breathed. “Plagg, claws down.”

Marinette frowned. What was he doing? She blinked and in a moment Adrien had taken Chat’s place.

“Adrien?” She cried. He could explain to her parents what had happened. “You’re— you’re Chat Noir?”

Adrien gave her a sad smile, “in the flesh.”

Marinette gave him a smile and he smiled back at her, tears falling down his face. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it before,” she laughed, then frowned again when pain shot through her chest. 

“I can,” Adrien said, moving to sit by her side. “We act completely different from Ladybug and Chat Noir.”

“Maybe so,” Marinette said, closing her eyes and leaning against Adrien. “But I still love you. Both parts of you.”

Adrien froze. “You love me?”

Marinette hummed, still not opening her eyes. “From the moment you gave me your umbrella. It took me a bit—” she stopped talking for a second then resumed again. “A bit before I felt the same way about Chat Noir, but I eventually fell for you both.” Marinette giggled as if she didn’t have a piece of wood sticking out of her. “Can you believe it? I fell for the same person twice.”

“I— I love you too,” Adrien confessed.

Marinette couldn’t bring herself to be happy about the confession though. She closed her eyes again, feeling too tired to open them back. It was probably because of all the studying she had done for that test. Wait. She had studied for the test already, right? She couldn’t fail this!

She tried to think about whether or not she had studied. She had! She had been studying and then fallen asleep before Tikki had woken her up because of— because of an akuma attack.

Marinette felt her heartbeat pick up. “Chat? Chat where are you? There’s an akuma! We need— we need to stop it before somebody gets hurt! Chat! Chat are you nearby?”

“Marinette, we need to get you to a hospital,” a shaking voice said.

Marinette shook her head. “Chat!” She screamed. “We need to stop Hawkmoth!”

Gentle hands her shaking her, interrupting her thoughts. “Marinette! Marinette! I’m here! Okay? I’m right here! Can we please go to the hospital now? Just detransform so we can go!”

“Kid, she’s not going to make it,” a smaller, more squeaky voice that reminded her of Tikki’s voice said. Speaking of Tikki, where was she? Probably sleeping. Marinette wanted to sleep. Sleep sounded good. It sounded peaceful. Not at all painful.

“No,” the other voice said, cracking. “She’ll make it! She has to! She’s the strongest person I know! We just need to hurry!”

“Kid,” the voice said gently. “Look at her! It’s too late

Marinette thought she passed out for a second. 

“—Nette? Can you hear me? Oh god, please tell me if you can hear me?”

Marinette groaned. Why was this person bothering her? Would they go away if she responded? She slowly opened her eyes and frowned at the boy in front of her. “Adrien? What are you doing here?”

Adrien shook his head and tears fell down his face. He didn’t respond here.

“Adrien, are you okay? If you want you can come to my parents bakery,” she offered, trying to be helpful. Why was he sad? “Why are you crying? Did you dad do something?”

Adrien wiped his tears off his face with shaky hands, “no, nothing like that, I promise.”

Marinette huffed. “Good,” she murmured. “I’ll kill him if he ever hurts you,” she slurred.

She vaguely felt his hand on hers. “I know you would.”

She tried to close her eyes again, but he put his hand on her cheek. “Hey, don’t do that. Can you keep your eyes on me? Marinette I need to know what to do so I can bring you back.”

“Bring me back from where?” She slurred tiredly. When he didn’t respond she started talking again. She liked this. Talking with Adrien like a normal person. “You remind me of a friend I have,” she told him.

Adrien put his hand to his mouth and seemed to take a deep breath, much to Marinette’s confusion, before responding. “Which friend? Alya?”

“Chat Noir,” she said without thinking. “Both protective, kind, funny. You would get along.”

Adrien smiled at her and she tried to smile back, but strangely enough she couldn’t. “He sounds amazing.”

“He is,” she said, finally closing her eyes. “He’s my best friend. Don’t tell Alya! Think I love him. Like you.” Marinette felt his soft gentle hands move her body onto his lap. “Comfy,” she mumbled, snuggling deeper into his chest. A strange pain came from her stomach, but she managed to ignore it. She would get it checked out later. “Do you have a diary?” She managed to get out. Her instincts were telling her to stay awake and keep talking, but her mind just wanted to sleep. 

“I do,” Adrien told her. “I keep it under my pillow.”

“Mines in a pink case. Only I can get it,” Marinette said with pride. “The stars are pretty, don’t you think?” She said, not remembering what she had said before that. She should probably get that checked out. She’d tell her mom about it later.

Marinette felt Adrien’s body shake underneath her before he responded. “The stars are my favorite part of the sky.”

Marinette hummed, “I like them because they remind me no matter how far away someone is, they will always be looking at the same stars. It’s comforting.”

“Thank you, Marinette,” Adrien said at last.

“For what?” Had she done something that needed thanking? She didn’t think so, but at the moment she couldn’t seem to remember much. She hoped this didn’t affect her grade on the test.

“Everything.”

Marinette frowned. He sounded like he was crying. Why were they here again? In the distance Marinette could’ve sworn she heard police sirens and thunder. 

Marinette tried to take a deep breath and found her eyes focusing on a piece of graffiti that was right in front of her. That was nice. This was nice. 

While she didn’t know where it was coming from, a small voice in her head was telling her they would be alright. How was she to know that voice was lying to her?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien doesn’t want to accept the fact that Marinette’s really gone.

He knew the moment she was gone. He didn’t know how he knew. Not really. He was shaking too much for him to feel the stopping of her breath. It was just the dark sensation that came over him. This sensation that made him realize he would never see her again.

This horrible, god awful feeling that made him realize that their nightly patrols were over, that he would never hear her scoff at at his puns again, and that he would be sitting in class and watch her run in ten minutes late with an excuse that nobody ever actually believed.

Adrien tried to pull her into his chest, as if by doing this he would feel her breathing and realize this was all just a nightmare. He squeezed her, as if he could squeeze life back into her. And he pleaded. Pleaded with the gods above that she would come back to him.

A quiet beeping sound filled Adrien’s ears. He couldn’t see her. Not like this. He was already looking at Ladybug’s dead body, he couldn’t see Marinette’s as well. He wouldn’t be able to handle it.

He closed his eyes and gently laid Marinette’s body on the ground, trying to pretend that she was just sleeping and that she would wake up soon and yell at him for leaving her on the cold ground.

“Adrien?” A small voice asked when the beeping finally stopped.

“She can’t,” he sobbed. “She can’t be gone.”

Tikki didn’t respond, and Adrien wondered if it was because she was crying too, or if it was because she just couldn’t lie to him.

“I’m sorry, kid,” Plagg said, curling up against Adrien’s chest.

Adrien let out a loud sob that echoed the alleyway. He didn’t bother trying to be quiet. He didn’t care if somebody heard him and came to investigate. “We can bring her back, right? Her lucky charm will work?” He heard Tikki let out a quiet whine and his heart shattered all over again. “No.” He said. He wouldn’t stand for this. Adrien would bring her back and— and it’ll work. “It has to work,” he whispered.

A tear slipped down Adrien’s face, but he wiped it away. He would bring her back. He would see her soon. “Tikki I need Marinette’s earrings.”

“Adrien it won’t—”

“Yes it will!” He snapped at the red kwami. “It has to! Because if it doesn’t then that means I failed and I can’t fail! I don’t fail! I’m supposed to be her protector!” Adrien felt the earrings fall into his hand and he put them into his ears, his hands shaking the entire time. “Plagg, stay here. Make sure nobody touches her.”

“Kid—”

“Tikki, spots on!” Adrien yelled and felt a powerful wave of magic come over him. He didn’t stall over it though. He had to get his lady back.

“It won’t work!” Adrien heard Plagg shout as he swung onto the roof, but he didn’t listen to the kwami. He couldn’t bring himself to accept what was right in front of him.

People gasped and shouted as they. saw him swing through the streets of Paris. He knew they had all seen Ladybug go flying through Paris, that piece of wood being carried along with her. He knew they had pieced together what had happened. But what they hadn’t yet figured out was that he was going to get her back. They didn’t know he had a plan.

Hawkmoth would be watching from home and he would realize his mistake in harming his lady.

“Where’s the girl?” Stormy Weather called. A victim. She was just as much a victim as Ladybug. Adrien heard the way her voice shook. She was terrified at what she had done and she couldn’t control herself. Adrien could never blame her for this, especially when he would get Marinette back at the end of the day.

Adrien tried to think of his plan, but he couldn’t. The only plan he had was rushing and attacking. Was that really such a bad plan? Marinette would criticize him for it later, but for now that was the only he would be able to bring her back. 

Adrien gripped onto the yo-yo as if his life depended on it, when in reality it was Marinette’s life that was at stake.

Adrien knew that people were watching from the safety of their homes, waiting for him to do something. So that’s what he did.

He ran for Stormy Weather, bouncing from building to building, blindly swinging Marinette’s yo-yo around, just hoping that it would land where he wanted it to land. 

Stormy Weather no longer put up much of a fight with him. Now she seemed to be fighting herself more than anything. She almost looked as she was trying to help him. Trying to make it easier for the red and black masked hero. Adrien decided that when this was over he would have to go and personally thank Aurore for trying her best with resisting Hawkmoth’s control.

Adrien finally managed to get the umbrella away from Stormy Weather and broke it with ease. The black butterfly came fluttering out of the umbrella, almost as if it hadn’t just caused all this destruction. Adrien repeated the words Marinette always said after a battle before finally capturing the akuma once and for all.

“Chat Noir?” Aurore said shakily. “Did I—”

“I’ll get her back,” Adrien assured the girl. He swung away from the Eiffel Tower as police came to escort the poor girl to a hospital. “Lucky charm,” Adrien whispered as he ran. A red flower landed in his hand. Adrien smiled at the charm. He would get Marinette all the red flowers he could afford when he got her back. “Miraculous Ladybug!” He shouted, throwing the flower into the air. 

Pink butterflies appeared in the flowers and Adrien watched as they took off in the direction of Marinette’s body. He saw the piece of wood that had been in her stomach only moments ago reappeared at a table that had been sitting right outside of a restaurant.

He sighed with relief. That meant she was fine. Marinette would be fine. Sure, she would probably be traumatized for life, but she’s strong and she’ll manage to push through it. Whenever she would need Adrien he would be there to comfort her until she was ready.

He landed with much less grace than Marinette would’ve landed with, but that didn’t matter. “I did it m’lady! I bet you thought I couldn’t pull it off, but I did! Tikki, spots off!” Adrien said before turning around. “God I was so scared, but then I realized I could just use your lucky charm to bring you back since it fixes everything! For a second there I was—”

Dead silence interrupted him. There was no scoffing, no amused smile. No breathing.

“Marinette?” Adrien said rushing to her side and dropping to his knees. “M’lady? Come on! I did the lucky charm! I did it right! I saw the butterflies and everything!”

She didn’t respond to him. Her eyes were still closed as if not a sound in the would would force them to open back up. “Marinette? M’lady? Bugaboo? Ladybug? God, please wake up! Don’t leave me alone! Please, I’m all alone. You’re the only person I have that understands. Please!”

“She’s not waking up, kid,” Plagg said from behind him. “I’m sorry.”

“I— I said miraculous ladybug. Why didn’t it work?” He sobbed. He couldn’t look away. Why could he not look away from her? It wasn’t even her anymore? It was just a body that once hosted the most beautiful soul Adrien had ever known. “Plagg, why didn’t it work?”

“We tried to tell you,” Tikki’s broken voice cut in. “Saying miraculous ladybug only brings back the civilians who lost their lives. When you put on a miraculous you give yourself, your energy, to your kwami. If you were to die in your suit your energy would transfer over to a kwami completely, and once it transfers it can’t go back. No matter what.”

“So— so if she had just said spots off then—”

“She would’ve come back,” Tikki confirmed a tear rolling down her tiny face.

“Why— why didn’t you tell her? Tell us! If we had known we could have prevented this! We could’ve gotten her to say the words!” Adrien cried. “Why didn’t you tell us!”

“Kid—”

“Don’t fucking say that to me, Plagg!” Adrien screamed. “Tikki might not have been able to tell me since Marinette was transformed, but you could have! You were right next to me!”

“She was out of it!” Plagg responded, trying to keep his voice down but Adrien heard the small quivers in his words. “She was forgetting where she was every five seconds! We wouldn’t have been able to get her to say it even if I had told you! By the time we got there we were too late.”

“No it wasn’t!” Adrien yelled. “We could’ve saved her!”

“Adrien, please,” Tikki said. She was curled up against Marinette and her eyes were focused on the ground. “Plagg is right. She was already gone by the time you got here. It might not have seemed like it at first, it might’ve seemed like she was coherent, but I could hear her thoughts. I could hear what she was thinking. She didn’t know where she was and she barely even knew she was transformed.”

Adrien shook his head. That couldn’t be true. It just couldn’t. 

“Kid, we need to go,” Plagg said.

There were sirens in the distance. The police were probably searching for anybody who might be hurt. 

“No,” Adrien croaked. “No, I can’t— I can’t leave her.”

Tikki floated up and away from Marinette. “She’s gone, Adrien. You’re not leaving her if she’s already gone.”

Adrien looked at Marinette’s face. Her face had been so full of life only a few hours earlier. That had been complaining about the test Ms. Bustier was giving the next day. Now though, all life was gone. She was pale now, nearly as white as snow with no sign she had even been breathing at all that day.

“Adrien,” Plagg said, finally using his name. “It’s time to go. They’re getting closer.”

Adrien took a step back, refusing to take his eyes off Marinette. “Plagg, claws out.”

Adrien barely even noticed when he was fully transformed. He just jumped to the roof and sat on it. Waiting. Waiting for the police to come and find the innocent girl.

Plagg and Tikki were right. They were closer than Adrien had thought. Within minutes the alleyway was flooded with police officers calling for an ambulance. One was already trying to do CPR.

“It wouldn’t have worked,” Tikki told him. “There was no chance.”

Adrien couldn’t bring it in himself to respond to the red kwami. He wouldn’t bring himself to do anything other than watch as the police men and hospital workers loaded her into an ambulance and carried her away.

“Did you recognize her?” One of the officers asked.

Another one shook his head. “Paris is a big city, it might take some time to get a name on her.”

Marinette, Adrien thought helplessly. Her name is Marinette. She’s not just some random girl who died! She had a life and she dedicated it to helping them! The least they could do was be thankful for her sacrifice.

Because of them Marinette never got to have normal teenage years. It’s because of them she felt she needed to constantly put herself in danger. They didn’t deserve her. He didn’t deserve her.

“You’re thinking what I am, right?” One of the female officers spoke as she put caution tape around the scene. All of the officers' eyes set on the graffiti that had been spray painted near Marinette’s body.

“I wish we could thank her,” the first officer said, eyes following the ambulance. “We’ll need to find her family and thank them instead. If they even know.”

One officer let out a sad laugh. “We all saw how stubborn Ladybug was with Chat Noir, I doubt they knew.” He took a breath. “Jesus Christ she was just a kid. How old do you think Chat Noir is?”

“Probably no older than her, they were definitely close in age,” the female said. “You go ahead. Try and figure out who she is so we can let her family know.”

“You coming too?” The male officer asked.

She nodded, “I’ll be right behind you.” The male officer walked away from the scene, leaving the female all alone in the alleyway. “I know you’re there, Chat Noir. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

Adrien scoffed and turned away. So what if they managed to put two and two together and figure out that girl they found was also Ladybug. It didn’t matter. Them saying “thank you” and “sorry” wouldn’t bring her back. 

“Adrien,” Tikki whispered. “It’s time to go. Go home, Adrien.”

Adrien nodded, and taking one final look at the ambulance that carried Marinette away, he finally left the alleyway, never intending to return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t really know what to put in the notes other than I’m sorry


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’s angry and lashes out at people he shouldn’t lash out at. The class receives awful news and Adrien makes major discoveries and a final decision.

The halls of the school were quiet yet loud at the same time. Nobody was talking, and that seemed to be the cause of the loudness.

Adrien remembered the first day he met Marinette. She hated him. With good reason too! She had thought he put gum in the seat because he was friends with Chloe. When she accepted his umbrella as an apology for not saying the truth sooner and they finally became friends Adrien had thought his life was finally turning around when she became one of his first real friends.

How was he supposed to know that by meeting that girl he was signing up to have his heart ripped out of his chest?

The loud silence was all Adrien could focus on. The entire school knew she was dead. Fuck, all of Paris probably knew. Everybody knew he had messed up. They all knew about his mistake.

Nobody was in the locker room when Adrien walked in. All of his friends usually got there much earlier than he did so they could take. Except Marinette. She was never earlier than him.

He couldn’t even look at her locker. All of her stuff would still be in there, untouched and unsuspecting that it would soon need to be cleaned out for some other student to use. Adrien never wanted to live to see the day anybody other than Marinette would use that locker. 

“Take a deep breath,” Adrien whispered to himself. “Don’t be weak. You are not weak. She wouldn’t want you to be weak.”

Marinette wasn’t around to tell him he wasn’t weak. She wasn’t there to tell him it’s okay to be hurting. She wasn’t there because Adrien had been stupid.

Adrien slammed his locker as hard as he could. This wasn’t fair. Why was he at school when he could be bringing the person who was responsible for her death to justice. 

Watery eyes greeted him as he entered the classroom. 

“Did you hear, dude?” Nino whispered to him as he sat down. “Ladybug’s dead. Like, actually dead. There’s caution tape around an alleyway and everything! People think that’s where she died!”

“It was the alleyway where I spray painted her and Chat Noir,” Alix muttered. There were tears going down her face. 

“I can’t believe she’s gone,” Alya whispered. “I can’t believe she’s really gone.”

Adrien covered his face with his hands at the sound of Alya’s voice. She would need to find out about Marinette soon. Those two were as close as two best friends could be. She would be devastated. 

“Dude, you okay?” Nino asked Adrien, looking at him worriedly. “I know you were a big fan of Ladybug.”

“Not as big as me!” Chloe interrupted. “She was my idol! She deserved more than this. Paris should make an entire holiday in her honor if you ask me.”

Adrien nearly scoffed. The city of Paris would never agree to that. He knew there were people who blamed Ladybug and Chat Noir for all the akuma attacks and if those people were to find out Ladybug got a holiday in her name they would riot.

“I would be fine with the Dupain-Cheng Bakery making food in her honor. She seemed to hang out around there a lot, so it would make sense. I’m sure Marinette would be happy to do it,” Rose said quietly. Juleka was sitting next her, holding her girlfriend's hand.

“Why do you care so much whether she’s remembered?” Adrien snapped at his classmates and they all looked at him, shock and disgust written on their faces. “It doesn’t matter! She’s dead anymore, so it doesn’t matter what people do to “try and keep her memory alive” because that won’t be doing anything to keep her alive! And I doubt Chat Noir needs the constant reminder that he failed to save her.”

“Woah dude, you need to calm down,” Nino said. “What’s gotten into? Ladybug is dead and we just want to remember her!”

This time Adrien did actually scoff. “You can remember her by thinking about her. We don’t need a huge memorial for her. We don’t need a constant reminder of what Chat Noir failed to save. Who I failed to save.” He whispered the last part. Nobody heard him. Nobody was even trying to hear him.

“What do you mean what Chat Noir failed to do?” Alya asked, enraged. “This isn’t his fault at all. We all saw how he rushed after her! It was literally live! He tried his best!”

Adrien froze. So Paris not only knew he failed to save her, but they were able to watch as he failed to reach her in time as well. “Are you sure about that? If he tried his best she would still be here, wouldn’t she?”

“Adrikins, you need to calm down. You’re acting utterly insane!” Chloe yelled.

Adrien rolled his eyes at his childhood friends' words. He didn’t need to listen to what his classmates had to say. The only thing he needed to do was catch Hawkmoth and make him pay.

“I, for one, agree with Adrien,” Lila’s bitchy voice rang. “Ladybug doesn’t need a memorial. She wasn’t all that great! All she did was go butterfly catching.”

Adrien slammed his fist on the desk and got up. “I never said that! Ladybug was amazing! She was the best person to ever exist, and quite frankly Paris didn’t fucking deserve her.” The class quieted at the sound of Adrien cussing. To their knowledge, Adrien Agreste had never cussed once in his life. Of course, he did it plenty of times as Chat Noir. In fact, as Chat his language would probably rival Nick Fury’s. They didn’t know that though.

“You’re giving us all mixed signals here, Adrien,” Alya pointed out. “You like Ladybug, but don’t want her to be remembered. Look at me when I’m talking to you! Don’t look away like that!”

Adrien finally looked at the girl whose best friend had just died. She had just died and she didn’t even know. “I’m not saying she shouldn’t be remembered!”

Alya let out an insane laugh. “Yeah? Then what are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I don’t feel like being reminded that she’s dead every time I leave the fucking house!” He yelled back at her, his voice cracking in the middle. The class watched as if it were a ping-pong game and they weren’t quite sure who was going to lose.

“Ugh! Just wait until Marinette gets here! I don’t care if she likes you or not, there’s no way she’ll take your side on this!” Alya said, raising her voice to match the volume of Adrien’s.

He couldn’t help it. He couldn’t help the tear that rolled down his face as Alya mentioned her dead best friend. 

“Good!” She shouted. “Cry about Ladybug’s death! That’s what we should be doing! We should be mourning and trying to keep her memory alive! Jesus Christ I can’t wait until Marinette finally gets here.”

Adrien shook his head. He wished what Alya was saying would happen. He wished that Marinette would walk into the classroom, take Alya’s side, and yell at him for blaming Chat Noir. She had always been so protective of the superhero. Adrien wished he knew why before last night.

“What? You know she’ll take my side?”

“Enough!” Ms. Bustier said, entering the classroom. Her eyes were red and puffy like she had been crying. More than one might be expecting for a superhero. “Everyone please take a seat, we have received some— some awful news this morning and I feel that you all need to know.”

Adrien’s eyes widened. No. This couldn’t be happening. The police officers said it would take a while for them to be able to ID her. He needed more time. More time to— to what? To snap at even more people and make his friends hate him even more?

Everyone settled down, though Adrien could still feel Alya’s glare on the back of his head. 

“Ms. Bustier, may I go to the bathroom? It’s an emergency.” Adrien said quickly. He should never have come to school today. He never should’ve come to school at all.

Ms. Bustier shook her head. “I’m sorry Adrien, but you all need to hear this.”

“Is this about Ladybug’s death?” Alix asked from the back.

Ms. Bustier shook her head. “No. Well, yes actually. Last night several police officers found the body of Marinette.”

Adrien heard Alya let out a choked sob behind him. He heard Ms. Bustier continue talking, but he couldn’t register her words. He felt like— he felt like he was going to— Adrien lurched over the desk and retched onto the floor. When he felt like he had stopped, more and more managed to come out. He noticed that somehow a trashcan had made its way to his side and didn’t even question who had brought it to him.

When he finally stopped, Ms. Bustier spoke up. “Adrien, I think you should—”

Adrien didn’t even bother to hear the rest of the sentence. He rushed out of the classroom, knowing he wouldn’t be returning. How could he ever go there again when he would constantly be reminded about that girl who used to sit right behind him. 

He could hear Alya’s loud sobs as he ran down the stairs. Even when he was out of the school he could hear her screaming and sobbing at him all the way until he got home. 

Bursting through the door of his bedroom Adrien rushed to Plagg and Tikki.

“What are you doing back here so early?” Plagg asked. He was laying next to Tikki, who looked like she still hadn’t stopped crying. 

“We need to go to Marinette’s house.” Adrien said hurriedly. “She— she said she had a diary there. I remember a few months ago she was telling me she had a suspect on who Hawkmoth could be, but she needed more proof.”

Tikki whimpered. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Adrien. There was a reason she wanted to get as much proof as possible before accusing him.”

Adrien’s eyes widened. “You know who she thought he was? Who is it Tikki! Please tell me!”

“Kid, I don’t think it’s such a good idea for you to go out and fight Hawkmoth in this state.”

“You know who she thought he was too?” Plagg’s refusal to respond was the only answer he needed. “Plagg, claws out!”

“Wait! Adri—”

Adrien was transformed and out the window before Plagg was able to finish his sentence. 

He passed the alleyway on the way to Marinette’s house. Would he have to be reminded of that god awful night until the day he died?

“Adrien! Wait! You can’t” Tikki called out, flying after him.

“Why not?” Adrien called out over the wind. He was running so fast, as if his life depended on it. As if her life depended on it. “She’s already gone, Tikki. Somebody needs to take him down, and if she’s no longer able to do it then it has to be me. It just has to! I can’t let her down! Not again.”

“You’re unstable,” Tikki said, finally catching up to Adrien. “Plagg’s right, you can’t fight Hawkmoth like this! It’ll crush you!”

“Why?” Adrien questioned as he landed on her balcony. He turned around to face the kwami. “Why will it crush me? Tikki, every minute he is out there is a minute Marinette’s death goes unjustified. Just give me one reason why I shouldn’t do this right now and I’ll stop! And don’t give me any of that “you’re unstable” bullshit. I just watched the love of my life die right in front of me eyes!”

“Adrien—”

“Do you have any idea what that fucking feels like?”

“That isn’t fair, Adrien,” Tikki said softly. How was she able to still be so calm? “I lost her too.”

“But you have Plagg! You and Plagg are literally soulmates! It’s the reason every past Ladybug and Chat Noir have fallen for each other, isn’t it? She was my everything, Tikki! She was the only person who understood what it was like to have to keep our lives a secret from the people we loved the most. Shit, we didn’t even know the other’s identities until— until,” Adrien couldn’t finish the sentence. “She still knew more about me than anybody in my life! Even more than Nino! He’s supposed to be my best friend, but he wasn’t! She was! She was my best friend, my partner, my other half, and he took her away from me! Now every time I go walking around Paris I’m going to be reminded of how I fucking failed to save her! I’m going to have to just sit around and accept a new Ladybug into my life and then what? And then she’ll die too? This isn’t fair, Tikki! It’s not fair!”

Tikki didn't do anything and only watched as Adrien’s body racked with sobs. 

“I can’t fail her again, Tikki,” he finally murmured. “I just can’t.”

He couldn’t wait for her to give him a good reason not to go after Hawkmoth. For all he knew Hawkmoth was planning an even bigger attack. With Ladybug gone, if Hawkmoth managed to go through with another akuma attack, Paris would be doomed. 

He opened the trapdoor and peaked into Marinette’s room to make sure nobody was there. He couldn’t face her parents or Alya. Not after that scene in school.

Adrien could see a pink box with a book laying in the middle of it. Her diary. 

“Adrien, wait,” Tikki said. Adrien paused. “It’s rigged so if anybody’s hand goes inside it it’ll snap shut. Let me get it for you.”

Adrien nodded his head and watched as Tikki went inside the box and it snapped shut on her. A moment later she and the book phased through the box. 

“Be careful, Adrien,” Tikki warned him.”You won’t like what you read.”

“I never was going to like it,” Adrien responded, opening the book to a random page.

Dear Diary, 

Today was amazing. It was Adrien’s birthday so I decided to make him a blue scarf since I remembered him saying that was one of his favorite colors. I dropped it off in his dad's office so they could give it to him during his birthday party/akuma attack. I think he really liked it. He was wearing it when he came to school and he seemed really happy. He told us his dad gave it to him though. I thought about telling him the gift was actually from me, but he just looked so happy at the thought of his dad getting him the scarf and I couldn’t be the one to break it to him. Speaking of birthdays I wonder when Chat—

Adrien flipped a couple of pages. 

Dear Diary, 

The weirdest thing happened today. Chat and I were fighting an akuma and Chat made this god awful pun, but at the time I didn’t actually think it was god awful and I maybe, just maybe, might’ve actually laughed at it. Chat definitely heard the laugh because then he started making MORE awful puns. Can you believe the nerve of him? I have to admit though, when he find out Hawkmoth’s identity and no longer need to be Ladybug and Chat Noir I’m going to miss him. He’s kind of like my best friend, only he can’t know anything specific about my civilian life. I’d argue that he might be more of my best friend than Alya. I love her to death, but she honestly just doesn’t get me like Chat can. She can’t make me laugh like he can.

Adrien remembered the day she was writing about. They were fighting an akuma victim that had something to do with chickens and he had made some dumb pun about feathers. Even he could admit the pun was bad, so he was shocked when he noticed Ladybug laughing at it. From that day forward he vowed he would always try to make her laugh using puns, no matter how annoyed she might be at him. 

Adrien decided to flip more towards the end of the diary.

Dear Diary,

UGH!!!!!!!! We have to take a test in Ms. Bustier’s classroom tomorrow and I’m nowhere near ready! I’ve been so busy with trying to get the final pieces of proof on Hawkmoth’s identity and trying to stop all the akuma attacks that I’ve barely had any time to study. Chat’s been a great help though! He’s absolutely amazing with taking down akumas and I couldn’t ever imagine working with anybody else. I hope one day I can tell him I am. Maybe that day will come after I reveal Hawkmoth’s identity. Maybe we could even try going on a date in our civilian lives. Though, that probably wouldn’t be fair to Chat. I still have feelings for Adrien, despite my feelings for Chat growing stronger these past few months.Oh my God, Adrien! He’s going to be devastated if I’m right about who Hawkmoth is. Honestly, Adrien is the only reason I’ve stalled so long with telling Chat who I think Hawkmoth is. The minute anybody gets word the Hawkmoth might be Adrien’s father—

Adrien slammed the book shut. His father? Was this some kind of cruel twisted joke?

“I warned you,” Tikki said sadly.

Adrien felt like he was choking on air. This couldn’t be real. His best friend was killed by his own father? That meant— that meant that

“I really am alone,” Adrien said quietly. His voice had gone numb and it was almost like he couldn’t feel anything except the empty spot next to him where Marinette should’ve been standing. How would he even make it after his fathers arrest? He had no mother, no father, no other half. He would even place his money on Nathalie and his bodyguard knowing what his father was up to as well. “I’m done.”

Tikki’s small head popped up. “What?”

“After this? After all of those? I’m done! I’m done being Chat Noir, I’m done being Adrien Agreste, I’m starting over somewhere far from here. Somewhere nobody knows me or Chat Noir.”

“That’s not possible, Adrien,” Tikki told him. “You might be able to get away from Adrien Agreste, but Chat Noir is a superhero the entire world loves. I’m sorry, but he’ll always be a part of you. And so will she.”

Adrie wiped his face before a tear could even make its way out of his eye. “Where’s the miraculous box? We can’t leave it here for the police or Marinette’s to take away.”

“You’re becoming the new guardian?” Tikki asked, unsure if she was hearing him right. 

“No,” Adrien said. “Like I said, I’m done. But I know somebody who just might be willing.”

“It’s by her sewing machine,” Tikki finally told him. 

Adrien walked over to the red and black box and picked it up. The box changed into an orange and white shaped orb, and Adrien could tell that the box had somehow picked up on who it’s new holder would be. 

“Come on, Tikki,” Adrien said at last. “I need to make a quick errand.”

“You’re giving us to Alya?” Tikki asked. 

“She’s proven herself to be trustworthy more than once. Nino already knows who she is, so if she ever feels like it’s too much she’ll always have him to talk to.”

Adrien opened the top circle on the orb and placed Ladybug’s earrings in them. 

“This is goodbye then?” Tikki said.

Adrien nodded. His father wasn’t going down without a fight and neither was Adrien. Even if Adrien did manage to survive he’d never stay in Paris. There are too many reminders of her. “I’m afraid so,” Adrien said grimly. “Promise me you’ll look after Plagg? Make sure when he gets a new holder that they’re the best there is. He deserves all the cheese in the world.”

Tikki nodded and rushed forward, wrapping her small arms on Adrien’s chest. “You were her best friend.”

Adrien gently put his hand on the little red kwami and felt as she faded into the orb. “So were you.” He didn’t know if Tikki could hear what he had said, but if he hadn’t he hoped she already knew it. Just like Plagg was his best friend, Tikki was definitely one of Marinette’s.

Downstairs two grown voices began talking, both in sobbing, shaking voices. Adrien couldn’t stick around to hear what they had to say.

Exiting the same way he came in, he finally started his way to make the one final errand before he would face his father. 

Most of the lights in her apartment were out despite it only being the middle of the day. Adrien guessed the family wasn’t home. He stopped and snuck in through the window of Alya’s room. 

The room was dark and quite frankly, kind of a mess. But a good mess. It showed somebody lived here and it honestly felt kind of homey.

“Adrien?” A raspy voice said behind him. 

Adrien spun around to see Alya sitting in her bed, looking worried sick. “I—I’m not Adrien. It’s me, Chat Noir.”

Alya scoffed. “Cut the act, Adrien. I figured it out when you ran out of the classroom after— after the announcement.”

Adrien stayed silent. She was mad. He knew she would be. 

“It wasn’t your fault,” she said. 

“What?” Adrien croaked out as he met her eyes.

“Marinette loved you. Both of you. She wouldn’t want you to blame yourself for this,” Alya told her.

God, was he really pathetic that he needed her to comfort him after she just found out her best friend had died? He’d had an entire night to get over it!

Adrien tried to speak, but found that no words would come out.

Alya patted her bed. “Sit.”

Adrien followed the command.

“Me and you, we were both new this year and yet Marinette still decided to become friends with us. She was the kindest, most perfect person I knew. I’d like to say I was her best friend, but I saw the way Ladybug and Chat Noir acted with each other. How they fought with each other. I’m sure that if I ever asked her and she was under some kind of truth serum or some of that crap, she’d say it was you. You were her whole world, and she would never in a million years blame you for what happened.”

Adrien believed her. He really did. Alya was right, Marinette was perfect. She would’ve never blamed him for her death, and he knows that the little nagging voice in the back of his head is her telling him not to blame himself. But Adrien would never be able to bring himself to truly listen to that little voice, because, despite that fact Marinette would never blame him, Adrien couldn’t help the fact that he blamed himself for her death. He couldn’t tell Alya that. He couldn’t let Alya’s last picture of him being one of him blaming himself for everything. She needed to be strong when starting out as the new guardian.

“I know. You’re right,” he lied. They sat in the dark silence for a few minutes before Adrien finally decided if he didn’t leave then he never would. “I brought something for you.”

Alya frowned at him. “Please, Adrien. You didn’t need to bring me anything. I can handle myself.”

Adrien let a small laugh. “I know you can. That’s why I’m giving this to you.” Alya furrowed her eyebrows as Adrien handed her the miraculous orb. “This is the miraculous box, or orb, or whatever you want to call it. I’m making you the new guardian.”

Alya gasped and pushed the orb away. “Adrien, I can’t take this! It belongs to you!”

“Actually,” he started sadly. “It belonged to her. Alya I can’t be the new guardian. I just can’t.”

Alya shook her head. “Adrien, you— you’re Chat Noir! This belongs to you!”

Adrien gave her a small smile. “If I’m being honest Alya, I’m tired. I’m really fucking tired. I thought I could do this without her, but I can’t. Every time I’m in this suit I just feel hollow. Empty. Like a piece of me is missing. And that piece that once made me whole, she’s never coming back.”

“What are you saying?” Alya asked him with tears in her eyes. “You’re giving up Chat Noir?”

“Where’s a cat without his lady?” Adrien let out a bitter laugh. “Rock bottom, that’s where.”

“Paris needs you, Adrien!” Alya pleaded. “You can’t just give up on them!”

“I’m not,” Adrien assured her. “After tonight Hawkmoth will be gone, and so will I.”

“What?”

“Marinette figured out who Hawkmoth was before she died and wrote it down in her diary. After this I’m going to take him down then leave Paris. For good. I can’t be here anymore.”

“If— if you really don’t want the memorial then we won’t push for one. You don’t have to leave.”

“Don’t you get it, Alya? Everyplace is a memorial to me. Every building in Paris we once jumped on and I can’t even look at a fucking butterfly without hearing her voice. I need to leave Alya, and I won’t be coming back.”

“At least let us help you,” Alya begged. “Nino and I, we can—”

“I’m sorry Alya,” Adrien said, getting off the bed. “Believe me, I am. But this is family business now.”

Alya’s eyes widened at his words as she finally understood who Hawkmoth was. “At least tell us where you’re going so we can visit.”

Adrien shook his head. “I can’t. If you visit that might bring the press to where I’m hiding. I can’t take that chance. If I make it out I’ll send you guys a text though before I leave so we can officially say goodbye.”

Alya didn’t comment on Adrien’s choice of the word “if”. “Be careful, Adrien.”

“If anything happens to me Plagg will come here, so you should probably be expecting him. If I’m fine though, I’ll give him to you when we say goodbye.”

Adrien didn’t give Alya a chance to respond to his morbid words. It was time to go and if she talked anymore she might just convince him to bring her and Nino.

He climbed out the window and gave her a smile wave goodbye. He knew he wouldn’t see her again, even if he did make it out of this alive.

If he managed to survive he wanted everyone to think he was dead, and that meant everyone. He didn’t care that it was selfish, to let his friends believe he was dead if he hadn’t died, but he was done. Done with the miraculous. Done with his father. Done with Paris. 

Marinette had been the only good thing about this city, the only thing keeping him going, and without her there wasn’t much of a point to stick around. 

Adrien knew that if Alya and Nino were to know that he was alive then they would never stop searching for him and he loved them, and because he loved them he knew he would eventually move back to Paris if they ever asked. He couldn’t risk that. He couldn’t risk the constant reminders of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof Adrien baby what are you doing. This isn’t going to end well for you, I can promise you that


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s time to go and Adrien’s ready

Alya’s apartment eventually faded out of his sight. Adrien regretted not choosing to go to Nino’s house as well, but next to Marinette and Plagg, Nino was his best friend. Alya wasn’t. Sure, Alya was much more suitable for the miraculous box than Nino, but Adrien also chose to go to her house because he knew if he even saw Nino he would shut his whole plan down. 

The mansion was just as cold and dark as it always was. It almost looked like a museum, but museums were never this empty of life.

Adrien didn’t bother to detransform before he stepped into the mansion. His bodyguard was sitting next to the stairs looking confused as to why a superhero would be here. Maybe Adrien had been wrong. Maybe his bodyguard was innocent. That didn’t matter anymore though.

“Where is he?” He demanded. 

His bodyguard looked at him with quizzical eyes. 

“Tell me!” Adrien yelled, his voice cracking. His bodyguard didn’t deserve this. He had been the only adult who ever seemed like they actually cared about his well being. “Please, sir. Tell me where my father is.”

The bodyguards eyebrows shot up. He slowly got up from where he was sitting and walked over to the door of his fathers office. 

Adrien was about to go in, but the bodyguard put a hand on Adrien’s shoulder? So he had originally been right? Adrien looked up, distrust clear in his eyes. He was ready to fight if he needed to.

The bodyguard simply shook his head and gave him the saddest smile Adrien had ever seen. “Proud,” he said, pointing at Adrien’s chest.

Adrien returned the smile with tears in his eyes. He wrapped his arms around his bodyguard before he eventually forced himself to let go. It was time.

Pushing the door to the office open, Adrien found the room empty. He turned to look at his bodyguard, but he looked just as confused as he was. That meant his father never left the room, and if he never left the room then the entrance to his lair was somewhere in here.

“Leave,” Adrien told his bodyguard. “Take anybody who might be in the house with you. I don’t want anybody else getting hurt because of us.”

The bodyguard nodded and gave Adrien a fond, proud smile. He was proud of the boy he had helped raise, and until the day he died he would boast about the blonde teenage boy.

Adrien took another step into the office, eyes scanning for anything that might be weird. He looked at his fathers desk, the statues, trophies, his mother’s painting—

That was it.

The entire reason his father was doing this had to have been his mother! It made perfect sense!

Adrien bit his lip and stepped towards the painting. He faintly remembered his father placing his hands in an odd position when he had accidentally walked in on him. He tried to mimic the position his father once made and sure enough the painting moved against his fingers.

The floor beneath Adrien began to move like an elevator. Adrien held his breath the entire time, almost like if he breathed then he would be consumed by his fathers evil stench.

The elevator landed with a frightening shudder and a beautiful garden came into Adrien’s sight. In the middle of the garden was a coffin. A coffin with his mother’s body in it.

“You’re sick,” Adrien spat out. There was no response. “I know you’re in here, stop trying to hide from me!”

Adrien felt a presence behind him. “Chat Noir,” came his fathers cold voice. “What a pleasant visit. I can’t say it’s surprising though, given recent circumstances.”

“You killed her!” He snarled. “She was only 15 and you killed her.”

His father raised an eyebrow. “I did not realize it was me who failed to catch a simple wooden stick. I only wanted her miraculous. I had no desire to kill.”

“You did this for what? To bring back your dead wife? She’s gone! Why can’t you accept it?”

“You know nothing of the love we shared for each other. You get no say in this! I’m doing this for my family! For my son!”

“Your son hates you!” Adrien screamed. “You’ve pushed him to the point where he despises you. How do you think he’ll feel after this? Do you think he’ll love you? Do you think he’ll love the terrorist who killed his friend?”

“So the rumors are true?” His father said, not paying attention to the rest of Adrien’s words. “The Dupain-Cheng girl was Ladybug?”

“She has a fucking name,” he yelled.

“You let your emotions control you too much,” his father spoke. “Join me and I can bring her back. We can bring them both back.”

“You’re a liar,” Adrien spat. “You only get one wish and using that wish would cause unbalance in the universe. Please, give up. Your bodyguard has already left and has surely called the police. You won’t win this, no matter what.”

“My son deserves a mother!”

Adrien sighed sadly, getting into a fighting stance. “He deserved his father too.”

Adrien was laying on the ground. His father’s broken body was only a few feet away from him, covered in rubble. 

He couldn’t see his mother. She was somewhere under all this rubble. She was already gone though. Just like Marinette had been when Adrien first landed by her side. The entire mansion was in ruin and Adrien could see the sky. Helicopters lights surrounded him.

He heard shouting from above, yelling that they would get him out. So they could see him? Adrien was surprised they managed to notice him with all the rubble that surrounded him. Rocks were pressed up against Adrien’s chest, making it near impossible to breath.

This was painful. Like, incredibly painful. Marinette didn’t seem to be in much pain when she died. In fact, she seemed to be nearly oblivious to the piece of wood that had been in her.

Guess the black cat's luck would just follow him to the grave. 

He felt hands prodding him and voices telling him to stay awake. He saw the rubble being moved off of him, but he couldn’t feel his legs anymore. His chest still felt like the building stayed on him though. He still couldn’t breath.

“—hospital!” An authoritative voice demanded. “Hang in there Chat Noir.”

There was no lucky charm to fix him up, even if he wanted it to. There was no point in staying in the Chat Noir costume. Plagg had to get out of here before he became stuck in the ambulance. Adrien hoped Nooroo and Duusuu had both escaped already. Plagg could meet up with them and take them to Alya’s house. 

Adrien felt hands on the upper part of his body moving him onto a strange surface and slowly began to be lifted up.

“Plagg,” Adrien rasped out. “Claws in.”

He felt the transformation drop and a new, more extreme amount of pain swept over him.

“Oh, kid,” Plagg whispered. “Not this again.”

Adrien didn’t need to ask what Plagg was talking about. He knew he was referring to the past Chat Noirs. “You need to find Nooroo and Duusuu and take them to Alya’s. Tikki’s already there.”

“If you think for one second that I’m leaving you then I might just have to admit I underestimated how hard you hit your head.”

“Plagg,” Adrien said with pleading, tear filled eyes. “Please do this for me.”

Plagg shook his small head. “No way!” 

Adrien slipped off his ring, “please don’t make the thing I say to you be a command.” Adrien could’ve sworn he heard Plagg whimper. “Don’t worry about me, Plagg. I’ll be fine. We’ll meet again someday, I’m sure of it.”

Voices from up above were getting closer and Adrien began to panic. They couldn’t see Plagg. 

“Woah, woah, woah!” Plagg’s urgent voice said. “Calm down kid, please. For me. I’ll take them if that’s what you really need me to do.”

“It is,” Adrien confirmed. He weakly lifted his ring and felt Plagg take it away. “Thank you Plagg. For everything.”

“No, thank you Adrien,” Plagg said. “You are the best Chat Noir I’ve ever had.”

Adrien wheezed, “you’re just saying that.”

Plagg shrugged, “maybe, maybe not. You are the best one I’ve had in centuries though.”

“It’s Adrien Agreste, sir! I thought Chat Noir was being sent up?”

“Plagg,” Adrien murmured, starting to feel tired.

“You did your best kid, I’m proud of you,” Plagg’s voice cracked, but Adrien couldn’t say anything else to the Kwami before he flew off into the night.

“Hey kid! Kid! You with us?” The medics voice said from. A bright light shined into Adrien’s eyes. It was honestly probably just a flashlight, but eventually that bright light was the only thing surrounding him. Until then it was gone again.

And so was the rubble, and helicopters, and loud voices. 

He was on the Eiffel Tower now. When had he gotten here? Did the doctors manage to revive him? He was in the rubble only moments ago.

“Hi, Kitty,” a soft, gentle voice said. It was filled with such peace and hopefulness that Adrien couldn’t help but lean into it. “I’ve missed you.”

Adrien turned around to face the girl with jet black hair who wore a grin on her face. He couldn’t remember why he had been so sad earlier. Everything seemed so calm here.

“Marinette,” he breathed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry


End file.
